Many areas require an even and wide film of liquid to be applied to a surface. Typical of such uses are paint to an inanimate surface and lotion to human skin. While the discussion below relates to skin and lotion therefor, simple extrapolation indicates applicability to other liquids and surfaces.
When a person works outdoors or seeks to enjoy the outdoors, exposure to the sun may cause sunburn on the skin of the person. Prolonged exposure to the sun may also cause skin cancer. One method to prevent harmful exposure to the sun is to apply a protective lotion, commonly known as sun screen, to a person's skin.
Individuals with arthritis, such as the elderly, may have difficulty opening and closing containers typically used to contain lotions that are applied to the skin of a person. Medical personnel that care for the sick or elderly may also need to apply lotion to the skin of individuals.
An additional problem occurs when a person is working outdoors or is at the beach and desired to apply a sun screen by hand, and yet sand or dirt is present on the hands of the person. If a person puts a sun screen on an appendage, such as a hand, and sand or dirt is present also, applying the sun screen on that body part will feel rough, scratchy, and uncomfortable. If applying a sun screen to a body feels uncomfortable, a person may be unwilling to apply a sun screen on the skin. This decrease in willingness to apply a sun screen to a body may result in harmful effects to the skin of a person such as the relatively minor sunburn or the more serious skin cancer.
Then there are certain types of tanning lotion, which provide a quick appearance for a tan. Any of this type of a lotion is difficult to use. If any of it is left on any portion of skin, the appearance of a tan results. Such an appearance is not desired in all case, such as on a person's hands.
Also, it is difficult to have a manageable large supply of such viscous lotion available. The container is difficult to handle and the flow of the lotion therefrom is difficult to control. Improved control of a large quantity of lotion is very desirable.
Many times, a lotion can separate into its components. Shaking does not completely solve the problem. It is very desirable to provide some device or method, in order to keep the lotion properly mixed as it is applied.
Another problem occurs when a person desires to apply a sun screen on difficult-to-reach locations on the body. Yet another problem occurs when a person is handling food and does not desire to have the same hands come into contact with sun screen lotion. Both of these problems may also decrease the willingness of a person to apply a sun screen to the skin of a body.
Additionally, another problem occurs when a person having difficulty using the hands attempts to open a container and apply lotion to the body. If opening a container is difficult for an individual, the person may not be willing to apply lotion to skin needing medical attention. If the lotion is not applied to the skin, deterioration or harmful effects to the skin may occur.
And yet another problem occurs when medical personnel wanting to apply lotion to a sick or elderly person do not want a lotion to come into contact with the hands. If such a person uses rubber gloves to isolate the hands from a lotion, time and effort to perform this task increase. As time and effort increases, productivity may decrease. If such a person does not use rubber gloves and applies the lotion to a sick or elderly individual, germs and bacteria may be transferred to the patient.